Design engineers analyze their products to confirm loads and expose loading effects, as well as to understand system-level interaction between components and the overall performance. Finite element analysis (FEA) is one commonly used analysis method, but the time and computational performance it requires is significant.

Multibody dynamics is an efficient simulation technique compared to FEA. With this method, engineers can use multibody dynamics simulations to quickly analyze mechanical parts in less time than competing approaches require. Engineers can explore multiple loading and application scenarios with multibody dynamics in less time than a single FEA analysis requires thanks to the higher performance of multibody dynamics systems. Engineers can accurately evaluate the real-world performance of designs much earlier in the design process, avoiding costly late cycle redesign.

MSC Software recently announced the release of MSC Adams 2017 multibody dynamics simulation software. This release offers significantly increased performance as well as expanded capabilities, such as improved gear analysis, simulation automation and part improvements.

Advanced 3D contact gear analysis—Prior versions of these tools modeled gears as rigid parts, but the new version introduces gear tooth flexibility. Engineers can define the gear part geometry and material properties, create a model, and automatically solve the model in the background to determine the compliance of the gear teeth.

Python scripting simplifies modeling automation—Engineers can automate their design, modeling, post-processing, simulation and analysis processes by writing scripts in either Python or the vendor’s own Adams/View command language. This release provides greater flexibility by allowing native Python scripts to issue commands directly to the GUI.

FE Part improvements—The Adams software includes a native nonlinear analysis technology to model components such as beams and cables. This release adds new features, including the ability to follow curved control points and Function Mock-up Interface (FMI) import capability. This release also improves support for multiple parts and single large parts by increasing performance with multi-threaded code and up to a 100x speedup in part creation.

Using Adams 2017 engineers can produce system-level simulations of designs early in the development cycle. These tools can help to optimize products for performance, safety and comfort.